Attention Aprilaire humidifier owners! First of all, congratulations on making it through a grueling winter. It was cold, snowy and nasty outside, with record-breaking low temperatures and record breaking snowfalls. But thanks to your insight, Aprilaire protected your family and your home from the potential devastation of dry air.
Time to call it a season
With the end of the humidifier season comes a couple of simple tasks to perform. First, be sure you are confident you will no longer require humidification, then follow these easy end-of-season tasks. If you have a bypass-style humidifier, you need to close the bypass damper. Simply turn the handle from the "winter" to the "summer" position. If you have a fan-powered Aprilaire humidifier, no adjustments are required.
Next, if you have an automatic control that is operating in the manual mode, or if you have the Aprilaire manual control, you need to turn the control knob to the "Off" position. This will ensure your humidifier will not turn on during the summer months (when you already have more than enough humidity). If you have an automatic control that is operating in the "Automatic" mode, there is no adjustment required. The outdoor temperature sensor will prevent your humidifier from coming on whenever the outdoor temperature is 60 degrees or higher.
Also, don't forget to call your Aprilaire dealer this fall to perform the annual humidifier maintenance. Your dealer will change your water panel, inspect the water delivery system, and replace any components that are fouled or worn. This indoor air quality (IAQ) expert is trained to keep your Aprilaire humidifier operating at peak performance.
Aprilaire - fresh ideas for indoor air!
It's March 11, 2010 in Madison, Wisconsin. The outside temperature is a seasonal 43 degrees, with an expected high of 53 degrees. Not bad. What is bad is that the relative humidity (RH) is a whopping 93%. Wow! That's what's going on outside. How does that translate into what's going on in your home? Chances are your indoor RH is rapidly rising, leaving you very uncomfortable and putting your home at risk from the dangers of mold, mildew, bacteria, viruses and more. What can you do to eliminate these risks and concerns? Install a whole-house dehumidifier from Aprilaire.
Aprilaire is your whole-house solution
An Aprilaire whole-house dehumidifier works in conjunction with your home’s HVAC system to efficiently remove moisture from every room of your home. Also, unlike portable units that only remove moisture from the room they are sitting in, Aprilaire dehumidifiers have no messy tanks to empty and clean. Aprilaire truly is the best dehumidification solution.
Call your local Aprilaire dealer and schedule the installation of your Aprilaire whole-house dehumidifier. End the suffering; call today.
Aprilaire - protecting you and your family for over 50 years!
Take special note on the article titled “The Truth About Indoor Air Quality”. It talks about the risks associated with poor indoor air quality and the best way to improve your homes air. The expert in the article highly recommends a whole home air cleaner to remove the fine particulate from your homes air
Did you suffer from the ill-effects of dry air this winter because you don't have a whole- house humidifier? Did you have dry, itchy skin or get jolted by static shocks? Did the woodwork in your home shrink and crack? One more question; do you have a tax return coming this year?
Spend your tax return wisely
If you're tired of suffering every winter and you have a tax return coming your way, suffer no longer. Aprilaire is the industry leader in residential indoor air quality (IAQ). Not only do we have products that ensure proper levels of relative humidity (RH) throughout your entire home, we offer the best in whole-house air cleaners, thermostats, ventilation, and zoning. Aprilaire is also viewed as the best IAQ value in the industry. So much so that after you've paid for your Aprilaire humidifier, you'll probably have enough tax return dollars left over to buy that techno-gadget you've had your eye on.
Call your local Aprilaire dealer and schedule the installation of your whole-house humidifier today. Getting your Aprilaire whole-house humidifier installed now will give you peace of mind going into next year’s heating season.
Aprilaire - protecting you and your family, and providing peace of mind, for over 50 years!
This humidifier is noiser than my furnace. My father and I both had these installed on our new furnaces by the same installer. His motor/fan noise is non existent and mine is louder than a bathroom fan at 3-4 sones. They both seam to be working and pumping water, but which one is running improperly? What can I do about the noise? Do I have to go with a by-pass??
Aprilaires' response:
The fan noise from the Model 700 is typically not as loud as the fan in the HVAC system, but it is a fan and fans make noise. If you can't live with the noise a bypass humidifier would be an option.
As a test you could switch the head of your humidifier with your father's humidifier to see his is really quieter. If you find that yours is noticeably louder you could have the contractor who installed the humidifiers replace the motor.
I am interested in installing a whole house humidifier. Primary reason is to reduce crackin
Our house is 18 months old and has a conventional A/C system with ceiling mounted air vents. At the moment they are closed and covered with magnetic vent covers for the winter.
For heat we have a gas fired boiler providing hot water for an in floor radiant heat system "warm board".
Question: Would an Aprilaire system work in conjunction with this type of heat? I assume system would relay on using A/C ducts with a continuous air flow/fan to distribute moist air.
Aprilaires' response:
Thank you for contacting us regarding your interest in the Aprilaire humidifier product line. We are happy to assist you with questions relating to a humidifier recommendation for your application. Based upon the information provided it appears that your heating application consists of hot water radiant floor heat with no duct work required for that system. This type of heating application would typically require the use of one of our self contained humidifiers such as the 350 and 360 models. However, in your application it appears that you do have an air conditioning application that is currently utilizing duct work. Since you do have an air conditioning application in the home the air handler and duct work from this application could be utilized for the use of an Aprilaire whole home humidifier. When utilizing one of our duct mounted humidifiers on an air handler of an air conditioning application, it would require that the humidifier be utilized with hot water at all times and to work in conjunction with the fan operation of the air handler. This type of installation of the application will still allow the humidifier to provide optimum levels of humidification into the home during the driest time of the year. We have listed several questions below that will assist us in identifying the best humidifier for your application at this time.
1.The square footage of the home?
2.The ceiling height within the home?
3.The age of the home?
4.Any new renovations to the home such as windows, siding, and/or insulation?
5.The number of heating systems?
6.The type of heat?
7.Is there access to a drain?
We would be glad to further assist you regarding a recommendation for your application. Upon receiving further information regarding your application, we can determine which product would be best for your application. However, the best individual to make the final decision on a product for your application is a Licensed HVAC contractor. If you could please reply to this email at your earliest convenience, we would be delighted to assist you further.
I won't do that. Even our Model 5000, the best whole house particulate removal product, will not deter the harmful affects of 2nd hand smoke. It WILL help clean your air of all kinds of nasty stuff; virus-sized particles, allergens and other contaminants.
It's best just to properly ventilate, or maybe just don't smoke in the house. Go outside with the other 2nd class citizens!
I have what I was told is an April Air (looks like the 700) that came as part of my high end Carrier central AC/heating system a few years ago. We had an Aprilair before and like this one, but, it's humidity is tied to the heating /AC and the wood in the house (and one guitar) are suffering from it being too dry in here. Everything is set right (humidity maxed out on the thermostat), I hear it go on all the time, and it works right, but we don't have your digital controls to get it up to about 50%. How can I upgrade your system to get more humid air? Luckily Fender fixed my guitar but I was told dry air caused the damage and it has never left this house and a new hygrometer puts the humidity at less then 40%. If I need a new and better AprilAir fine. If this one can be upgraded, that is even better.
Thank you
Aprilaires' response:
Thank you for contacting us regarding the Aprilaire product line. We are happy to assist you with questions relating to the operation and performance of your humidifier. Our humidifiers are designed to provide and control up to 45% relative humidity. Our humidistat controls will only allow the humidifier to provide 45% humidity into the home before it will no longer initiate a call for humidity. If you are trying to maintain more than 45% humidity in the home, we would recommend working through your heating and cooling contractor for a 3rd party control that has a higher limit in regards to humidity control.
In order to get optimum levels of humidification within the home, we would recommend utilizing the humidifier with hot water as the water source, and also to allow the humidifier to operate with the fan operation of the heating system. By utilizing the humidifier with hot water as the water source this will help increase the evaporative capacity for the model 700. You will also get optimum use of the model 700 by wiring this unit to operate in conjunction with the fan for the heating application. What this allows you to do is to humidify the home essentially 24 hours a day. Basically, when putting the fan to the on mode you will be able to provide humidity into the home even though the actual heating system is not actually producing heat at the time. The heat from the water will provide the heat that is needed in the evaporation process. By utilizing the application with hot water and fan operation you will be optimizing the performance of our product and be providing a higher level of comfort within the home.
We would be happy to further assist you with any questions relating to the operation and performance of your humidifier. If there are any further questions regarding your application, please contact us at your earliest convenience.
I have the Aprilaire 700 model (several years now) & we noticed our RH was very low. While the solenoid activates & water is running, I found the fan never activates now. I even tried the "test" mode & it would activate. I am thinking since the water solenoid is working the control panel should be OK and I have a fan failure. Is there some way I can verify this. And I didn't notice replacement fans here on your site. Please confirm for me.
Aprilaires' Response:
By what you are stating, when you put the controller into test mode, the fan will come on with the water flow. But, for normal operation only the water flows?
Since the fan does come on in test mode, but the level of RH is low in your home, anyone would question the fan at this point. Why wouldn't it come on for normal operation. Or, is the fan ok, and the solenoid is open too much?
As you are aware, proper operation calls for both to be working at the same time. The fan running when the solenoid is open.
We do not sell these type of parts online. You would need to get these from an HVAC technician. Also, they would best be able to determine which is the problem and would need to be replaced.
Do you ever wonder why your basement has a stale, musty smell? Or why the temperature is only 70 degrees, yet you're sweating and uncomfortable? The answer is high humidity. Too much moisture makes you feel miserable and can lead to damage to your home from mold and mildew, neither of which is acceptable. Do you ever wonder if there is a solution to excess moisture?
Aprilaire is the answer
A whole-house dehumidifier from Aprilaire solves your excess moisture problems. It works in conjunction with your home’s HVAC system to quietly and efficiently remove excess moisture from every room of your home. Maintenance with Aprilaire is also a breeze. Unlike noisy portable dehumidifiers that take up space in your living room, Aprilaire dehumidifiers have no messy tanks to empty and clean. Simply wash or replace the air filter on an annual basis. That's it. We call it "out of sight, out of mind."
Call your local Aprilaire dealer and schedule the installation of your Aprilaire whole-house dehumidifier today. Your family and your home will thank you.
Aprilaire - fresh ideas for indoor air.
* Each person inhales over 3,500 gallons of air each day. Children inhale more particles for their size then adolescents or adults.
* Polluted air causes 94% of all respiratory problems.
* More than 31 million Americans have been diagnosed with asthma, about 1/3 are children under 18.
* About 40,000 dust mites, a common household allergen, can live in one ounce of dust.
* An estimated 10-15% of the entire population may be allergic to cat or dog dander.
* A person sheds up to 700,000 skin flakes per day.
These are just a few of the reasons to make sure your home is protected by having a whole house air cleaner installed. A high efficiency whole house air cleaner from Aprilaire makes your home healthier and cleaner. The EPA states that indoor air is often times more polluted then outdoor air so cleaning the air in your home is more important then ever.
If you currently have an Aprilaire air cleaner you can upgrade it to our newest media that removes more particulate from the air. Call you local contractor and tell them you want to upgrade your Aprilaire air cleaner today. For a small investment you can improve your current air filter.
HRV or ERV and why?
Aprilaires' Response:
Aprilaire believes that ERV's are a better choice than HRV's.
HRV's only transfer heat energy so in the winter the moisture in the air that is exiting your house will all go outside. This can dry out your house too much. In the summer the moisture in the air that is entering your house can over humidify house. Too much humidity can cause mold and other problems.
ERV's transfer heat energy and moisture. In the winter 77% of the heat energy and 50% of the moisture from the air that is exiting the house will be transferred back into the house. In the summer 77% of the heat energy and 50% of the moisture from the air that is entering the house will be transferred back outside. This allows the ERV to run year around with out drying it out or over humidifying.
This unit was installed and worked great for two years. Then I turned it off in the summer and forgot to turn it back on for the last two years. Now, I changed the filter and cleaned everything out. However, it doesn't seem to work. The humidity in my house is 10.
I hear the water turn on for a few minutes at the beginning of the heat cycle. Then it turns off. When I look at the filter, it is only wet at the bottom 1 inch. The rest is dry. The water seems to go into the first float chamber, but doesn't go into the second chamber. I don't see what is preventing the water from moving over.
I had the technician, who installed it, come and look at it. He suggested changing the filter and isn't sure what is wrong. He hasn't been doing this humidifiers for a while. He thought that it might be the water level sensor assembly. However, no one seems to have this part in stock. I will have to order it and get it installed. Then, I might find out that is not what is wrong, and I will have paid more money to have the wrong thing fixed. I already spent $85 for the technician and $45 for the filters. I really want to get it fixed. Can you make some recommendations?
Aprilaires' Response:
Thank you for contacting us with regards to your model 400 Humidifier. Based on the information you provided, the humidifier is working properly. The water should fill from the top, trickle down across the water panel. Verify that you are using a Genuine Aprilaire Stock #45 Water Panel. The water will only raise the float in the right-hand chamber. The left float is an emergency overflow. Water should not fill that chamber unless the first fails to shut off the water. The fact that the water does shut off indicates that the sensor is working properly. The water panel should then wick water up from the reservoir and it will evaporate as it rises.
Water shouldn't rise very far before it evaporates, but most of the water will rise up through the center of the pad, as opposed to the outer layer of material. As long as the humidifier refills at the beginning of, or during, each heat cycle, the humidifier is working. For a test of how well it's working, please do an Evaporative Test. This can be done using a measuring container and a timer.
The evaporative rate of the Model 400 is based entirely on the temperature of the heated air and the amount of run time of your furnace. The performance values are based on 120°F air and 50% run time. This should give 0.70 gal/hr.
It's not clear from the information you provided how long the humidifier has been running with your home at 10% RH. Did it start at 10% and it hasn't changed, or was it higher and has since fallen, or was it lower and has since risen? Humidity can take a while to change, so we would look at the trend of the humidity over time, if it's going up, down, or staying the same. At this time, it doesn't make sense to replace the water level sensor from a troubleshooting standpoint.
This winter's unseasonably cold weather has caused all of us to spend a lot more time indoors than we are used to. The only time most of us have ventured outside has been to clear the driveway of the piles of white stuff that every state except Hawaii has been blessed with. This extra time indoors has led many of us to ponder the quality of air in our homes, qualities including dust, temperature, and, in particular, humidity. Lack of proper levels of humidity are immediately apparent in dry, itchy skin, static shock, dry and cracked nasal passages, irritated throats and more.
Aprilaire is the solution for dry air
Aprilaire whole-house humidifiers provide soothing, humidified air to every room of your home. It conveniently mounts to your home’s HVAC system, operating quietly, out of sight and out of mind. Except for the dramatic increase in comfort and health, you'll never even know it's there. Aprilaire humidifiers are also known for ease of maintenance. There are no tanks to fill or clean. Simply change the water panel evaporator once a year to keep your humidifier operating efficiently and trouble-free.
Contact your Aprilaire dealer and schedule the installation of your whole-house humidifier today. Your contractor can recommend the Aprilaire model that is right for you and also recommend other Aprilaire whole-house products that can improve your health and comfort.
Aprilaire - fresh ideas for indoor air.
Aprilaire is going green one step at a time. Indoor air quality is the key focus at Aprilaire with our whole-home air cleaners, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, and other whole-home product, but we also feel it is very important to protect the environment. ENERGY STAR and energy-saving products are just the start, we also make environmentally concise decisions for our company's energy use. Let's all find new ways to save energy!
Do you live in a small condo or townhome? Are you tired of high humidity levels in your home? Do you have a portable dehumidifier sitting in the middle of your home because you thought there was no whole-home solution? Are you tired of the constant maintenance that portable dehumidifiers require? If you answered yes to any of these questions, Aprilaire has your dehumidification solution.
The Aprilaire 1730A whole-house dehumidifier
The Aprilaire 1730A dehumidifier has a large 65 pint capacity. That's enough moisture removal power for a 3,600 square foot tight home. Its compact size means that it can fit in spaces where others won't. It also works in conjunction with your home’s HVAC system to quietly and efficiently remove moisture from every room of your home, with only annual maintenance required. And its Energy Star rating means you remove that moisture without blowing up your electric bill.
Call your Aprilaire dealer and schedule the installation of your whole-house dehumidifier today. Your dealer can also recommend other quality Aprilaire products that will improve the quality of the air in your home.
Aprilaire - Fresh ideas for indoor air!
They assure me their intentions were never to mislead. I guess I'll never know that for 100% sure, but I'm ready to give them the benefit of the doubt. After reading of my concerns they immediately took action to modify the language on their site and clarify what the consumer is buying.
I applaud their quick response and willingness to set things right.
Good luck, and if you're happy purchasing filters for Aprilaire Air Cleaners that are not made by Aprilaire, Cleartheairinc.com seems like a fair place to trade.
Tom
From Friday......
The site tries to cleverly describe the filter as "Clear the Air's Aprilaire Spacegard replacement filter". They probably do this so that they could argue that legally they are calling it a "Clear the Air" brand and therefore NOT misleading the consumer into thinking they are buying an Aprilaire brand.
You decide. Take a look. Would you think you were buying a filter made by Aprilaire or SpaceGard on this page?
They do this with other brands as well.
Sleazy.
If you have an Aprilaire or SpaceGard air purifier / air cleaner and you typically replace the flters yourself, ask an Aprilaire dealer in your area. Often they will sell them to you off the shelf. And they'll be the real deal!
UNLIKE CLEARTHEAIRINC.COM, I'LL BE VERY STRAIGHT FORWARD WITH YOU. Take a look at the estore on Aprilaire.com , just so you get an idea of what the real thing looks like.
Sure, you can buy them there. But that's not the point. I could care less if you buy from our estore. We're the manufacturer! We get the sale of Aprilaire product regardless of where you buy it. Just go there to see the pictures. Then you'll know what the real deal looks like. Then. if you want to shop around, you can get them cheaper on other websites or from your local dealer.
And at least you'll know what you're getting for your dollar.
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